12 January 2006 - 3:23pm
When the "big tent" betrays Democratic constituents
One expects the Republicans, who represent the government, to cheerlead for -- and help coach -- Samuel Alito and his affection for governmental authority over the people. Their speechifying in the hearings employed rhetoric more in line with the WWF than the US Senate (though some would say it's the same difference). I was especially nauseated when the these white men of the ruling elite, sitting in the halls of power, "discussed" oh-so-reasonably as to how much right, if any, a woman has over her own body.
But I am not impressed by the Democrats, either. While some seemed to press Alito on his beliefs, much of it seemed rather inept. As to how sincere it was, we'll see.
But we've already seen that many Democrats -- the very same ones who have stretched the so-called "big tent" far outside of the normal constituent base and traditional values of the Democratic Party -- are already on board for Alito's approval.
Since there are 55 Republican senators, many of whom have already described the nominee in glowing terms, Judge Alito would still appear to have an excellent chance at confirmation, if by a less decisive margin than the 78-to-22 vote that elevated Judge Roberts. Exactly half the Senate's 44 Democrats voted for Judge Roberts. Those Democrats included Ben Nelson of Nebraska, who told The Associated Press today that he had heard nothing that would disqualify Judge Alito.
And yet, and yet -- we still get self-made blog pundits, Party strategists and would-be arm-twisters for the astroturf version of the "netroots" pushing for all of us progressives to shut the fuck up and support more candidates who are at least as far right as Ben Nelson.
Already we see a Democratic Party that is so amorphous, so diffuse in views, so much the "big tent" that it cannot hold a united front against a radical nominee like Alito. Hell, the Party can't even seem to come up with its own version of the '90s Republicans' "Contract On America."
What does the Democratic Party stand for, what does it represent, if it can't even put together a coherent message about progressive values, civil rights, human rights and basic equality?
What good is a Democratic Party if it won't even stand up to the egregious and offensive push by the now-so-radical Republican Party to regulate one's body and one's bedroom?
In this Alito anointment confirmation process, we're reaping the fruits of the "big tent" seeds already sown by the Democratic Party. This summer we enter a primary where the Party is pushing for more Ben Nelsons and Joe Liebermans -- people like Bob Casey, Jr. And if the Party and its boosters get their way, we can expect even more of a wishy washy Democratic Party -- a Party that pretends to be different while it aspires to be ever-more Republican.
And thus we can expect more Alitos in the federal courts and, should someone else retire, the Supreme Court.
I say listen to the spin. Watch the floor debate. And count the Democrats who vote for Alito. And think about what kind of Democrats you want winning the primaries this spring and summer.
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discuss it next week".
Reid has never really opposed much that Bush/Republican senators have done... he has mostly exposed personal pique and little else. Shutting the senate (such drama!) but then LOL doing nothing the next week. "Dry Powder Reid"... LOL I think he is dust to be honest...
Show closed long ago. Fundraising for Democratic party should be hard after this.
Reading around the blogs there is much Dem/liberal disgust... tho some try to rally the masses, the predictable places... It does not appear to be working very well...
This time they did not even bother to try and raise expectations. They didn't even pretend that they were an opposition party. Instead they were more than happy to hide behind Mrs. Alito's tears... See, we fought...even Mrs. Alito says so.
So who are these fuckwads that put together this GEEEENIOUS Strategerie... I guess the same ones that said that California Dems actually gave a shit what the beltway Dems thought and "predicted" that they would vote for a cheesy DLC wimp Gray Davis, and the same beltway assholes who found enough gumption to make one pair of balls between them all to tear down Dean and hoist wet limp Kerry instead... and we see where that got us.
If it was not evident before it is evident now that the Democratic Leadership is INTENTIONALLY destroying the party. No one is stupid enough to believe that they can confirm Roberts and Alito with out a fight and then expect the base to PAY AND VOTE for a slew of anti choice Republicans with a small "d" behind their names in the coming months.
Democratic landslide my ass... the Democratic leadership just handed over the elections to GOP. Or do they REALLY think that the most progressive persons in the country are going to back the Casey's and the Fighting dEm-wits when they just witness that these are the same kind of creeps that just let their rights fritter away in front of their eyes... don't think so...
Who the fuck thought of this plan for the Democrats... Rove. Cuz, it sure sounds like it... the GOP wins either way. They win if the Dem base refuses to hold their nose and vote for the vile fucks therefore the GOP candidate wins and they win if the Democrats do vote for the vile fucks because they will be more supportive of the GOP issues and ideologies than the people who paid for him to get to DC.
So it seems to me that the Democratic leadership has set up a no win situation for the base... and if that is the caseThird parties are looking like the only viable option.
Supporting Casey and the Fighting dEM-Wits is NOT AN OPTION . Whine and moan that I am letting Sanatorum win... yeah and what the fuck... who the hell told Schumer to annoint Casey. Schumer, Pelosi, Reid and Rham all seem to be fine with giving away our rights... so why in the hell should I help them by paying for and voting for a person is least likely to protect my rights...
The Democratic leadership have shown the utmost contempt for the Democratic base to have even suggested and promoted such candidates. The fact of the matter is that this Democratic Leadership would rather have women and children die than to get up off of their asses and to protect them.... all in the name of the lord of course.... such moral human beans...
This my dear friends is the line the sand. Enough is fucking enough.
There is nothing left to lose, I don't have a book to sell nor am I looking for the next big big phat consulting contract to sell my soul promoting a fucking anti-choice Republican(d), nor do I want to be a talking head on cable with a docu-drama about me and my followers ...I just want a country that works and is just to it's people ... and this seems to be too leftie a notion for this Democratic leadership.
No issues and ideologies are allowed unless they are GOP issues and ideologies.
They'll drag out Dean to try and quell that masses... Dean is good but not that good...even he can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear... and all he would have to work with is the sow's ass.
...but it seems that these "big tent" folks have ideological purity, too -- just a different ideology. Their litmus test includes opposing women's rights to their own bodies.
A "winning strategy"? Fuck, I hope not! That would be disaster for women.
Now they are trying to spin it by blaming the smokeless gun Gee did the Dems really fucking believe the Alito would arrive "un coached"
... give me a fucking break.
Now they are dragging out the old trusty boogey man The Gang of 14...
Oooooo... did I scare you... enough to open up your wallet and pay for an anti-choice Rep(d)
but far from suprised. Split the party. Now. Yesterday. Shoulda done it after that fascist Daley sic'd his stormtroopers on leftist protesters. Shoulda done it w/ the Daley wing refused to support George McGovern when he won the nom fair and square. It's time to do to these bastards what they did then: withhold your vote. Fuck 'em. Will they lose? Probably, but the way they run campaigns they're likely to lose anyway. Vote for local and state progressives, but fuck the rest of them.
Oh, and so-called "activist" groups who tie themselves tighter and tighter to this feckless party: it is probably time to abandon most of them too.